2
And he had a son, whose name
was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not
among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders
and upward he was higher than any of the people.

3
And the asses
of Kish Saul’s father were lost. And Kish said to Saul his son, Take now one
of the servants with thee, and arise, go seek the asses.

4
And he passed
through mount Ephraim, and passed through the land of Shalisha, but they
found them not: then they passed through the land of Shalim, and
there they were not: and he passed through the land of the
Benjamites, but they found them not.

5And when they were
come to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant that was with him,
Come, and let us return; lest my father leave caring for the asses,
and take thought for us.

6
And he said unto him, Behold now, there
is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all
that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he
can shew us our way that we should go.

7
Then said Saul to his servant,
But, behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? for the bread is
spent in our vessels, and there is not a present to bring to the man
of God: what have we?

8
And the servant answered Saul again, and said,
Behold, I have here at hand the fourth part of a shekel of silver:
that will I give to the man of God, to tell us our way.

9
(Beforetime in Israel, when a man went to enquire of God, thus he spake,
Come, and let us go to the seer: for he that is now called a
Prophet was beforetime called a Seer.)

10
Then said Saul to his servant,
Well said; come, let us go. So they went unto the city where the man of God
was.

11And as they went up the hill to the city, they found young
maidens going out to draw water, and said unto them, Is the seer here?

12
And they answered them, and said, He is; behold, he is before
you: make haste now, for he came to day to the city; for there is a
sacrifice of the people to day in the high place:

13
As soon as ye be come
into the city, ye shall straightway find him, before he go up to the high
place to eat: for the people will not eat until he come, because he doth
bless the sacrifice; and afterwards they eat that be bidden. Now
therefore get you up; for about this time ye shall find him.

14
And they
went up into the city: and when they were come into the city, behold,
Samuel came out against them, for to go up to the high place.

15
Now the LORD had told Samuel in his ear a day before Saul came, saying,

16
To morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of
Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him to be captain over my people
Israel, that he may save my people out of the hand of the Philistines: for I
have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.

17
And when
Samuel saw Saul, the LORD said unto him, Behold the man whom I spake to thee
of! this same shall reign over my people.

18
Then Saul drew near to Samuel
in the gate, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, where the seer’s house is.

19
And Samuel answered Saul, and said, I am the seer: go up
before me unto the high place; for ye shall eat with me to day, and to morrow
I will let thee go, and will tell thee all that is in thine heart.

20
And as for thine asses that were lost three days ago, set not thy mind
on them; for they are found. And on whom is all the desire of Israel?
Is it not on thee, and on all thy father’s house?

21
And Saul
answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the
tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of
Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me?

22
And Samuel took Saul
and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the
chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty
persons.

23
And Samuel said unto the cook, Bring the portion which I gave
thee, of which I said unto thee, Set it by thee.

24
And the cook took up
the shoulder, and that which was upon it, and set it
before Saul. And Samuel said, Behold that which is left! set
it before thee, and eat: for unto this time hath it been kept
for thee since I said, I have invited the people. So Saul did eat with Samuel
that day.

25
And when they were come down from the high place into the city,
Samuel communed with Saul upon the top of the house.

26
And they
arose early: and it came to pass about the spring of the day, that Samuel
called Saul to the top of the house, saying, Up, that I may send thee away.
And Saul arose, and they went out both of them, he and Samuel, abroad.

27And as they were going down to the end of the city, Samuel said
to Saul, Bid the servant pass on before us, (and he passed on,) but stand
thou still a while, that I may shew thee the word of God.